Vienna - Cuba and the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) have signed today a technical cooperation agreement for the coming years with priorities in specific areas of greatest benefit to the island.

The document, entitled ‘National Programme Framework with IAEA for technical cooperation with Cuba', was signed by Daniel Lopez, president of the Agency of Nuclear Energy and Advanced Technology of the Caribbean country, and Dazhu Yang, Deputy Director General of Technical Cooperation of the agency at UN. Elba Rosa Perez, Minister of Science, Technology and Environment of Cuba (CITMA); Jose Fidel Santana, vice-president of that Ministry; Juan Antonio Fernandez, Cuban ambassador to Austria and Permanent Representative to the UN; and other members of the delegation accompanying him, also attended the ceremony.

This new document sets out national priorities in specific areas of greatest benefit in terms of technical cooperation between Cuba and the IAEA, including radiological safety, food and agriculture, human health and nutrition, water and environment, and energy and industry.

According to its content, the Programme Framework reinforces both sides' commitments to continue promoting technical cooperation projects in pursuit of the Cuban development.

The CITMA minister is visiting Vienna since May 28th as a special guest to the International Conference on the IAEA Technical Cooperation.

During her stay, she was received by IAEA director general, Yukiya Amano, with whom she talked about the close ties of cooperation and Cuba's results in the use of nuclear technologies in key areas for development.